RE P ER TO I RE TIPS Works for voice with orchestra or ensemble

TOMMIE HAGLUND fined, transparent music reflects the delicate lyricism of the text. There are BENJAMIN STAERN
La rosa profunda (The Unend- also some subtle, dramatic and even playful episodes that allow the soprano Sånger om bländvit kärlek
to sparkle and demonstrate the suppleness of her voice.
ing Rose) (2007/2016) Dur: 14’ (Songs of Dazzlingly White
for soprano and orchestra: Love) (2013) Dur: 30’
2222-2000-11-1-cel-str for alto and orchestra:
Text: Jorge Luis Borge (Eng) ROLF MARTINSSON
2222-4231-11-0-pf-str or
The Deep Rose is a setting of Borge’s
Garden of Devotion (2014) 2222-22(1)0-01-0-pf-str
text about life’s fragility perceived Dur: 23’ Text: Karin Boye (Swe)
through the perishability of the rose. for soprano and string orchestra Staern describes his song cycle as
It is exuberant, sensuously shimmer- a music drama in five episodes. It
ing music, with simple but beautiful
Forlorn (2014) Dur: 13’
is about spontaneous infatuation,
melodies, where echoes of Mahler, for soprano, cello and string orchestra intimacy, yearning, perfidy and the
Delius and Puccini can be heard. Above all it is Haglund’s own marvellous Text: Rabindranath Tagore (Eng) unearthly, unattainable, dazzlingly
world of sound that transports the listener to a higher sphere. In 2014 Martinsson composed two white love. He uses an exceedingly varied sound palette, where each song has
song cycles to poems from Tagore’s its own character: airily light, dreamy, highly expressive, anxiety-ridden and,
“The Gardener”. The five songs of finally, nothing short of ecstatic.
KIMMO HAKOLA Garden of Devotion build a drama
Sinfonische Elegien (2023) Dur: 90’ about unrequited love. Martinsson
utilizes the effects of the strings to the full to create an atmosphere of pent-up TAPIO TUOMELA
for soprano and orchestra: tension and to colour the prevailing passionate feelings. In the three romantic
1011-0000-01-hp-pf(+keyb&cel)- and melancholy songs of Forlorn, a solo cello is added to the strings in infinite- Sea-Drift (2006) Dur: 17’
acc-str ly beautiful dialogue with the soprano. for mezzo-soprano, piano, 2 violins,
Text: Rilke, Kimmo Hakola (Ger) viola and cello
This sweeping work is a real horn Text: Walt Whitman (Eng)
of plenty. Its text, visuals and music TEBOGO MONNAKGOTLA Sea-Drift is an expressive setting of
reflect the richness of Hakola’s imagi- Whitman’s great poetic work, and
nation. The Symphonic Elegies consist the organic link with the natural
of 10 big movements divided into Un clin d’oeil (2018) Dur: 20’ sound world is clear from the very
several smaller ones and end with an for baritone and orchestra: 2222-4231- first bars. The mood varies from
Epilogue to form a broad symphonic span. The text engages in captivating dia- 12-1-str or 2222-2200-01-str impassioned episodes to mystical
logue based on the Rilke poems, and the background video creates a dialogue Text: Jean-Joseph Rabearivelo (Fr) nature scenes, and the vocal part
of its own for the thoughts of the main character and his alter ego. The first song, ‘Un clin d`oeil’, is offers great ecstasy, complete with
about the transitoriness of life, the cries and hoots. The soloist can narrate the frame story in any language, and
second, ‘Perle’, is a love poem from its symbolic tale of birds expands into an allegory of human feelings.
MIKKO HEINIÖ the poet to his daughter. The third
Sextet (2000) Dur: 18’ song, ‘Dances’, describes an elderly
for baritone, flute, clarinet, violin, cello woman who dances with a young JOHAN ULLÉN
and piano girl but who actually is one and the Lady Macbeth (2009/2013)
Texts: Ugo Foscolo, John Keats, same person. The songs are melodically beautiful and expressive, embedded
in an impressionistic and iridescent orchestral attire. Dur: 22’
Franz Kafka (Ital, Eng, Ger) mezzo-soprano and orchestra: 2222-
Heiniö has admirably solved the prob- 2200-10-1-str
lem of singability in his work: the solo- Text: Willliam Shakespeare (Macbeth,
ist is allowed to shine in the resonant KARIN REHNQVIST Act I, Scene V) (Eng)
register without awkward interval Bloodhoof (2019) Dur: 42’ Three monologues from Macbeth
jumps. The texts in three languages Monodrama for mezzo-soprano and 8 that opens with a long prelude that
describe sensual and unattainable instruments: fl-ob-cl-perc-pf-vl-vla-vcl conjures up the atmosphere of the
love and are embraced in the translucent, bright sound world. There is also room Text: Ger∂ur Kristny (Swe/Eng) play. We meet the Lady reading the
for humour when the falsetto singing in the scherzo creates some ironic, comic The point of departure for the work letter from Macbeth, and her reac-
dimensions. The texts are fragments from the letter novel by Ugo Fosgolo and is Icelandic Kristny’s poetic tale tion to it. A short orchestral episode
letters by Keats and Kafka. Bloodhoof about power, threats and depicts the distorted relationship between the Lady and her husband. When
assault. Rehnqvist’s sound world she hears the raven’s caws, Lady Macbeth calls forth all the evil spirits of hell in
moves from inarticulate bestial the final song, which is followed by a brief triumphant postlude.
LARS KARLSSON sounds and gurgling to loud songlike
Sju sånger till text av Pär cries and subtle ornaments. She uses
Lagerkvist (Seven Songs) the instruments in order to bring out JENNAH VAINIO
the dramatic element. From thin, bubbling metal plates imitating water sur-
(2010-11) Dur: 29’ faces, to gongs that sound like clattering hooves. Beatbox Concerto “Fujiko’s
for baritone and chamber orchestra: Fairy Tale” (2010) Dur: 23’
1111-1000-str for beatboxer and string/
Text: Pär Lagerkvist (Swe) sinfonietta/symphony or wind
MARIE SAMUELSSON
Karlsson was inspired by the sing- orchestra
Aphrodite – Fragments by
ing quality and profoundly spiritual This exciting work is a musical voy-
subjects of these poems. The work Sappho (2015) Dur: 21’ age through mythology depicted in
proceeds as if it were charting a for mezzo-soprano and orchestra: Japanese manga/anime art. There
life-journey starting with the exis- 3333-4331-12-1-str are oriental influences combined
tential anxiety of youth. The colourful Text: Sappho (Swe) with hip hop and dance beats and
music is intense, at times cavorting in waltzing rhythms and at others mourn- The first part of Samuelsson’s “The more traditional contemporary
ful, building a dramatic arch towards serenity and light. Love Trilogy” is a setting of five short concert music with a hint of the
stanzas from Sappho’s poetry. It soundscapes from the videogames of the 1980s and 90s. Available in different
deals with the erotic, overwhelm- versions.
OLLI KORTEKANGAS ing, uncontrollable love. Aphrodite
Songs of Meena (2020) Dur: 20’ is invoked with virtuosic, suggestive
and wistful melodies in the solo part.
for soprano and orchestra: The orchestral texture evokes images of long, surging ocean waves. Even the
2222-2221-12-hp-pf(+cel)-str-perc musicians’ voices are used as a part of the effervescent soundscape when they
Text: Meena Alexander (Eng) collectively whisper segments of the text.
This cycle consists of settings of lyrics
by Meena Alexander, an American-
ised poet of Indian descent. Korte-
kangas was impressed by the sensi-
tivity of her poems, their universal
relevance and feminist spirit. The re-

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